The stereotypical image we have of a pirate comes from the silver screen and the works of Robert Louis Stephenson, and while piracy has existed since ancient times it really came into its own in the 17th and 18th centuries. The Golden Age of Piracy saw countless pirates out at sea, rampaging across the waves and looting wherever they could.
Despite the bloodthirsty and violent nature of the average pirate, their image is something we’ve come to look upon with fondness, with children dressing up in costumes of them and many considering the romanticized Captain Jack Sparrow as a bit of a hero. The average pirate was far from the good-looking and eccentric rogue we imagine and delving a little into their history gives a truer picture of these seafarers.
Jennifer Dawson explains.
A painting entitled A Barbary pirate. By Pier Francesco Mola, 1650.
Pirates in Popular Culture
From Batman comics to Hollywood and classic literature to fun social games, there are modern representations of pirates in many different forms of art and media. Since Treasure Island, the adventure and excitement of a pirate’s life and experience has captured and captivated our interest. Not many groups from history have managed to remain so popular and interesting in the same way, so exploring the history of pirates never gets old.
Columbus attracts Caribbean Pirates
The famed explorer Christopher Columbus connected and created communication between Europe and the lands we have come to know as the Americas in the 15th century. Columbus worked for the Spanish monarchy and the new lands he discovered were quickly claimed by Spain as their own. As explorations continued, they found plentiful bounty, with their new lands awash with sources of silver, gold and gemstones.
Spanish galleons began transporting their bounty back to Europe and it’s no surprise that pirates quickly saw their chance and were drawn to these humongous vessels packed with precious goods. Pirates consistently began to attack any Spanish galleon they came across, leading to large armadas being formed, with galleons sailing in groups and protected by armed vessels. Spanish people who moved over to the Caribbean islands and American mainland also found their new settlements under attack from pirates.
Buccaneers, Corsairs or Privateers?
Many kinds of pirate roamed the seas at different times. A buccaneer was often seen as a 17th century pirate from the Caribbean Islands of Hispaniola and Tortuga. They began life as hunters but soon became employed by governors of Spanish islands who would pay them to attack those Spanish galleons carrying treasure. To begin with, buccaneers carried out their orders with little argument but over time, they became more self-serving and began to attack any valuable looking ship, whether considered the enemy or not.
Corsairs were usually Mediterranean pirates operating from around the 15th to 18th centuries. Most famous amongst their members was Barbarossa and there were both Muslim and Christian corsairs operating around the Mediterranean.
Finally, privateers were privately owned ships which were fully armed and able to operate in times of war. The British Admiralty of the time would issue these private owners with assurance they could attack and capture merchant vessels with no risk of being charged with piracy.
Piracy today
Contemporary piracy is still very much a problem. Seaborne piracy against transport vessel is said to cost around $16bn per year and there are particular issues in certain areas of the world such as the Strait of Malacca and the waters between the Red Sea and Indian Ocean near the Somali coast.
While the legend and history of piracy is fascinating, there is tyranny and violence at its heart, and it is still a problem which we’re battling to this day.
